Best Of The West Live Auction (November 13, 2026 5:30 PM PT)

Circa 1885, applied top, 6 1/2". These unique fire extinguishers, commonly known as hand fire grenades, became popular during the early to mid–1880s as a means of combating small fires. A California newspaper advertisement from early 1885 proudly noted that "the California bear is blown into the bottle," referring to the embossed bear featured on these bottles. Advertisements indicate that the California Fire Extinguisher Company was located at 858 Howard Street in San Francisco and was managed by A. Muiller. Interestingly, we could locate no listing for the company in the 1885, 1886, or 1887 San Francisco city directories. Additional research is needed, but it appears the company and its product may have had an extremely short lifespan. The glass bottle was filled with a chemical solution and intended to be thrown directly into a fire. Contemporary accounts noted that the liquid itself was not primarily responsible for extinguishing the flames; rather, when exposed to heat, it generated large quantities of fire extinguishing gas that smothered the fire and prevented combustion from continuing. Numerous varieties of these so called hand fire grenades were marketed during the 1880s, but few can match the Western appeal of this grenade with its boldly embossed California bear.

Description & Condition: Medium amber with the original cork still inside. Minor 1/8" chip near the base on the reverse, not visible when displayed.

Min. Bid $2,500 - Est. $5,000–$10,000